In the Crosshairs
by onixxfilth
Summary: An ambitious new hire named Collin Burrwood swears he'll get Ronald Knox in his bed! Grell thinks Collin's barking up the wrong tree. Who's right? Rated M for yaoi and rape.
1. Chapter 1

"In the Crosshairs"

**Author note: Hey, it's onixxfilth! I've decided to pick on Ronald a bit- not sure how long this story will go exactly but I'm giving it a whirl. It's meant to be set somewhere between "Grell Gets His Wish" and "Serpentine" (yes, I know I haven't finished that one yet!) but I'll try my best not to screw up the events in "Serpentine" with this story. I've never written two stories simultaneously, but I'm giving it a shot!**

Grell Sutcliff was almost certain that it was not going to be a good day when, almost as soon as he arrived at work, he was summoned to William's office.

_I can't have done anything yet; I've barely just clocked in! _he thought to himself.

Instead of a reaming, however, he found himself face-to-face with not only his manager but a striking young man with long blond hair tied back by a navy-blue velvet ribbon and piercing gray eyes.

"Ah, Mr. Sutcliff, happy to have you join us," William greeted, looking up from some paperwork he was finalizing at his desk. "Do come in. This is Collin Burrwood, one of our recent graduates. We've recently begun a new program of pairing our latest additions with a more established reaper as a mentor of sorts. I have no idea why, but someone higher up seems to think that you and Mr. Burrwood would be a good fit."

"I've heard so much about you, Mr. Sutcliff!" Collin enthused, extending a hand for Grell to shake.

Grell took it and thought that this could be a very good thing indeed. As they left William's office, Grell noticed the appraising glances Collin was casting at other staff. He recognized the look; he himself had done much the same when he'd arrived as a new recruit. Collin was most definitely checking the other men out. Grell grinned toothily.

"Like what you see?" Grell teased, elbowing Collin good-naturedly.

Collin colored slightly but on the whole seemed to take his superior's ribbing in stride.

"Of course, I'm taken," Grell said, extending his left hand to show off his ring, "but I'm mated, not blind. Look but don't touch, you know."

"Is it true that your mate's a demon?" Collin asked.

"Oh yes," Grell assured him. "Phenomenally sexy."

Grell shuddered deliciously just thinking about his Sebby.

Suddenly Collin seemed to focus in on one reaper in particular.

"_Who _is _that_?" Collin demanded, licking his lips.

Grell followed the direction of his gaze and reddened himself.

"That, my dear Collin, would be Ronald Knox. Sweet boy, but I'm afraid he just isn't 'that way,' as some would put it."

"Oh, he will be," Collin promised, eyeing the hapless Ronald hungrily. "He'll be in my bed by the end of next week; I guarantee it."

"Suit yourself," Grell shrugged. "Though you're barking up the wrong tree. In fact, you're not even in the right forest."

"You're welcome to your opinion, _sempai_, but he's mine; he just doesn't know it yet," Collin assured him.

Grell found himself amused by the young pup's audacity.

"I still say it's as pointless as insisting I'm not a lady," he replied.

"As you said before, suit yourself," Collin said, turning Grell's words back on him.

"I like you," Grell grinned.

Collin made an odd face.

"Not _that _way!" Grell chuckled. "Don't go all deer-in-the-headlights on me! If you could have seen your expression in the mirror! No, you're _far_ too young for me, even if you were my type."

"Oh, I prefer being on the receiving end, anyway," Collin shared.

"An aggressive bottom, eh?" Grell remarked. "Sebby's young master can be at times."

"I was warned that you enjoy talking about sex," Collin revealed. "Everyone said you're a flaming perv."

"I won't dispute the _flaming_ part," laughed Grell. "But _perv_? _Really_."

He huffed, a mock-injured look on his face.

"_Sempai,_ you're too much!" Collin howled, doubling over with laughter.

"Are you okay, Collin?" another recent hire named Thomas Plainfield asked concernedly as he walked by the pair.

"Just…fine," wheezed Collin, still laughing. "It's just…_sempai _here…"

He broke off, overcome by a fresh gale of laughter.

"Dear God, boy, you're turning practically _purple_!" Grell exclaimed. "And, I must add, that shade _doesn't _suit you at all. You need paler hues; you're so fair that something dark threatens to overwhelm you."

Alan approached, rolling his eyes as he caught up to Thomas, who apparently had been assigned to him.

"What on earth is going on here?" he asked Thomas, puzzled.

"Fashion advice?" ventured Thomas, equally baffled.

"It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest," Alan remarked. "Grell fancies himself quite the fashionista."

"Himself…fashionista?" Thomas repeated, no doubt confused by the masculine pronoun paired with the feminine noun.

"I'll explain later," Alan assured him.

Collin had finally managed to catch his breath.

"Say, Grell-_sempai_, would you mind introducing me to Ronald?" he requested. "I've heard that you two are friends, and a friend of yours, well, I think that's someone I ought to meet."

"You don't fool me, mister," Grell said as they walked away. "You don't just want to be friends with Ronnie. I saw how you looked at him earlier. I'll introduce you, but there's one thing I have to make clear- don't you _dare_ hurt him or I will make you _miserable." _

"If he won't have anything to do with me beyond friendship, as you insist, how could I possibly hurt him?" Collin asked.

"Don't be smart!" Grell snapped. "Mind yourself."

They arrived at Ronald's desk.

"Hope you're not terribly busy, Ronnie, I have someone I'd like you to meet," Grell said. "This is Collin; I'm meant to be his mentor."

"Oh, hello, Collin," Ronald greeted. He stood up and shook Collin's hand. "I'm Ronald."

"Pleased to meet you, Ronald-_sempai_," Collin said, all sweetness and honey.

He looked up at Ronald through lowered lashes, a move that had made other boys melt during his days in the academy. They would think, "How sweet and pretty!" and fall into his bed like nothing. Ronald, however, looked slightly alarmed. He'd never had another man act this way around him before and it was a bit bewildering. But something intrigured him about the gray-eyes young man in front of him-

_No! _he mentally shook himself. _This is __**creepy**__!_

"I'm sorry, Ronald," Collin apologized. "I'm making you all uncomfortable. It's just, well…I saw you when I came in and thought you were cute."

"Oh, umm, thanks, I guess," Ronald managed.

"Now look what you've done, Collin," Grell mock-scolded. "You've gotten Ronnie all flustered!"

Grell wasn't sure how much of this cutesy shyness was an act and how much was genuine. He wondered if he'd ever acted to sickening over Sebastian. Oh, who was he kidding- he probably still did!

"Say, Ronald, you going to the big holiday party next week?" Collin asked.

"Of course! Practically everyone's going! Mr. Spears probably won't show, though."

"That old stick-in-the-mud?" Grell laughed. "Such a Scrooge. I love parties; they're the perfect excuse for a new dress!"

Collin could picture it now. The party would be the perfect time to make his move! Everyone drank at least a little at a party; that ought to make Ronald more amenable to seduction. The very thought was making Collin hard. He could picture the two of them, perhaps in Collin's own bed after the party, entwined in a lustful embrace with Ronald inside of him. He'd show Ronald how amazing it could be with another man. Being his teacher in the bedroom would be delightful. He imagined Ronald would be a fast learner. He closed his eyes and shuddered deliciously.

"Collin, are you okay?" Ronald asked, concerned.

"Just fine," Collin assured him, letting the teensiest hint of lust show in his smile.

It was so hard to concentrate when he was wishing Ronald would just shove him back on the desk, rip his clothes off, and take him right there. But since that wasn't likely to happen, he needed a distraction and fast. He opened the folder he was carrying and realized that he had a death coming up in twenty minutes.

"Yikes! I'd better get going!" he exclaimed. "See you two later!"

Perhaps some soul-harvesting would help him work off some energy.


	2. Chapter 2

After his shift ended, he began the short walk to the apartment complex where he lived. To his surprise, Ronald was walking right beside him!

"Well, looks like we're headed in the same direction," commented Ronald.

"I'm heading for that dark brick building on the next block," Collin said.

"Same here! What floor you on? Fourth for me."

"Me too!"

Collin couldn't believe his luck when an exchange of apartment numbers revealed them to be next door neighbors!

"Come to think of it, I might have seen you moving in," Ronald remarked.

"My first place all to myself; I got stuck with a roommate in the dorms at the academy," sighed Collin. "Not that Thomas wasn't fun, but it's hard to have any sort of love life when you're sharing a room."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. No girl wants to hang out in a place whether another guy might walk in at any minute and interrupt you."

It was then that Collin got a brilliant idea. Maybe he _didn't _have to wait for the party after all!

"Say, wanna come over for a drink or two, get to know each other a bit?" Collin asked. "I got some great blackberry wine; proper shinigami vintage, not that weak human stuff."

"Bit of a sophisticate, are we?" Ronald teased.

"I'd like to think so. I appreciate the _finer_ things in life."

Ronald found his stomach doing an odd series of flip-flops as Collin gave him a look that added, _And you're one of them. _

Somehow, despite a bit of trepidation, Ronald found himself accepting the invitation and they were soon at the door to Collin's apartment.

"Do come in," Collin said, a hand resting on Ronald's lower back to guide him inside.

The intimacy of the gesture should have had Ronald running for the hills, especially once Ronald realized Collin's hand wasn't that far above his ass, but something had him inexplicably curious about the younger reaper. There was something vulnerable there behind the confident-seeming person who'd been laughing with Grell earlier.

The apartment was beautifully furnished in warm, rich woods and fine art. It seemed to belong to someone older and more mature than a recent academy graduate. Collin noted the impressed expression on Ronald's face.

"Wow, this is a nice place!" Ronald said.

"Thank you," Collin replied graciously, fetching a bottle of the promised wine and two wineglasses from a sideboard. "It's not very big- I know our units have the same floor plan- but it's spacious enough for me. Do sit down, Ronald-_sempai_."

Ronald took a seat on a burgundy overstuffed sofa.

"You can just call me Ronald when we're not in front of others like at work," Ronald said.

"Thank you, Ronald," Collin responded, still sounding warm but formal.

He thumbed a remote and soft classical music began to play from discreetly hidden speakers as he poured. He began to hum along softly while removing his suit jacket and tie and casually discarding them on the floor. For a moment, Ronald imagined Collin removing his nicely pressed white shirt and tossing it aside just as nonchalantly, but that didn't happen.

_Did I __**want**__ that to happen? _Ronald asked himself. _What's wrong with me?_

"Go ahead, relax," Collin encouraged, placing a glass in front of Ronald on the coffee table, then sitting down with his own glass in hand.

Ronald took a sip of the wine and was surprised at the instant warmth that flooded his body. Despite it not being hard liquor, this was some heady stuff! Collin took a sip of his own glass, and, upon seeing the surprise on Ronald's face, began to giggle.

"Oh, Ronald, I should have warned you!" Collin laughed. "This stuff…wow!"

The giggle rather put Ronald in mind of Grell. Perhaps Collin had already picked up some of the redhead's mannerisms from being around him nearly all day? Ronald took a second sip and felt even more relaxed. After several more, he found himself leaning forward and, taking Collin's chin gently in one hand, began to kiss him!

"Mmm," Collin moaned.

Collin's lips felt so _good_ on his own. He felt Collin's hands on his shoulders, removing his jacket, then at his neck removing his tie, and then at his chest unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it off of him. He fumbled at the buttons of Collin's shirt and was sure he popped a few off in his haste to undress the gray-eyed reaper.

"Ooh, _Ronald!_," Collin purred, pulling Ronald down on top of him on the couch.

Ronald hardened at the lust in Collin's voice. Collin wrapped his legs around Ronald just about his ass and began to grind upwards against the other blond.

"Ahh, _Collin_," Ronald found himself sighing as the rest of his clothing was somehow removed.

"Just wait a bit," Collin said, walking into another room.

He returned in a moment with a small black tube and set it on the coffee table, then slowly and tantalizingly removed his own pants and underwear.

"You're so _big_, Ronald!" Collin exclaimed, reaching out a hand and beginning to stroke Ronald's hard-on as he sat down.

"What do I, umm, do?" Ronald asked, feeling slightly stupid.

Collin chuckled.

"I'm sure that you've 'taken care of yourself' at some point- think of what feels good to you or what you like women to do to you and do the same to me," he suggested.

In a sort of mental fog, Ronald tentatively leaned in and began to gently suck at one of Collin's nipples.

"Yes, Ronald, like that," Collin encouraged. "Pinch and roll the other one gently with your fingers."

When Ronald did as directed, he was rewarded with a squeal from his would-be lover.

"Feels good?" he asked Collin, seeking reassurance that he was doing things correctly.

"_Very _good," Collin assured him.

Suddenly, urgently, Ronald felt the need to do _more_.

"I need to put my cock…somewhere," he finished lamely, unsure of where this was coming from.

"In me," Collin said. "Just make yourself nice and wet with the lube and you'll slide right in; I'm no virgin. But don't worry; I'm tight enough to give you _plenty _of pleasure."

So saying, Collin got on his hands and knees facing away from Ronald and lifted his ass in the air. Once again, Ronald did as he was told. He positioned himself at Collin's entrance and slowly, slowly slid inside until he was fully sheathed. It felt…different but good

"Ohhh," he groaned.

"Yesss, just like that," Collin praised.

Ronald began to thrust, feeling Collin lightly squeeze his cock with his hole each time he came forward again.

"Yes, yes, yes!" he found himself crying, wrapping a hand around Collin's cock and stroking in time with his thrusts.

"Let go, cum for me!" Collin begged, looking pleadingly over one shoulder at Ronald.

It didn't take long; a few minutes later Ronald screamed, "Collin!" as he came hard.

God, had it _ever_ been _this _good with a woman? Collin came soon after, making a sticky mess on the pristine fabric of the couch in front of him.

"Haah, haah," Ronald panted hard as he and Collin collapsed in a tangle of limbs.

A glance at a nearby clock revealed it to be nearly eleven at night- how had so much time passed? Had they seriously fucked for _hours_? Ronald felt confused and suddenly tired. With a wet slurping sound, he pulled out of Collin.

"Poor thing," Collin cooed, "I wore you all out. Let's go to bed."

He took Ronald by the hand, helped him up, and led him to the bedroom. The bed was as lavish as the rest of the place, with sheets of deep red embroidered with a metallic gold thread. He pulled back the sheets and got in, patting the bed to encourage Ronald to get in beside him. For some reason, Ronald felt like cuddling, and the two drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

**Author note: Whaa! What just happened, and why did Ronald act so weird? Keep reading to find out! **


	3. Chapter 3

Lemon-hued sunshine slanted through slits in the blinds. Ronald opened his eyes a crack. Startled, he realized that nothing looked familiar.

_Where the hell am I?! _he wondered.

That's when it hit him that not only was he completely naked, but his cock was covered in dried cum.

_Who did I…?_

"Mmm," murmured his bedmate sleepily.

A blond head poked up from the top of the covers and slowly turned to look at him.

_Collin?!_

"Good morning," the younger reaper yawned.

"No! We…we _didn't_!" Ronald stammered.

"Might I say that you were absolutely _amazing_ last night? And you said you'd never done anything homosexual before! You're a natural!"

Collin sat up, leaned over, and kissed the startled Ronald. Alarmed, he shoved the frisky fellow shinigami away.

"What was that for?" pouted Collin.

"You did that on purpose!" Ronald shouted. "You got me drunk, then…"

"Need I remind you that I merely poured you a glass? You _chose_ to drink it. Not to mention that _you_ kissed me first.

Collin _did_ have a point.

"But I never intended to…" Ronald began.

"To fuck me?" Collin finished. "Some part of you must have or you wouldn't have done it. You're just scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"Scared that you might not be who or what you thought you were. Scared that you might be bi. It's nothing to be afraid of," Collin reassured him. "Okay, I admit that as soon as I saw you I wanted you. Grell-_sempai_ said that there was no way you'd sleep with me. He was wrong, though."

Collin looked up at him so earnestly, so sincerely, that it almost hurt Ronald's heart.

"This didn't happen," Ronald said.

"It did, Ronnie. Don't lie to yourself."

"Don't call me that!"

"So Grell-_sempai_, with whom you've never been intimate, can call you by a cute nickname while I, with whom you _have_, can't? I hardly think it's fair."

"I _don't _like you!"

"Your mouth says 'no,' but your body says 'yes,'" Collin smirked, looking pointedly at the large tent in the sheets where Ronald was. "I _could _take care of that for you."

"No!"

"Well then, you know where your things are. Take a shower before you leave or don't. Anyway, this conversation is finished. Kindly see yourself out."

With that, Collin rolled onto his side facing away from Ronald.

Ronald's jaw dropped. The little bastard had summarily dismissed him, as if he were royalty and Ronald a servant! Furious, he stormed into the living room and got dressed.

At work that morning, Grell was startled to see Ronald looking as if he was ready to kill someone.

"Why, Ronnie, whatever is the matter?" he asked

"Nothing!" Ronald snarled.

"That's the angriest I've seen you over 'nothing,'" Grell observed. "Don't tell me; you've finally fallen for one particular girl and she refused to become your mate."

"_No_!" shouted Ronald.

"Well, don't rip _my_ head off over it!" Grell huffed.

"What's up with him?" Alan asked as Ronald stomped past.

"No idea," Grell sighed, shaking his head. "If he won't even tell _me_, it _has_ to be bad."

Grell knew _something_ was up when Collin arrived a few minutes later, obviously seething. Two angry shinigami coupled with Collin's declaration the other day; it didn't take a genius to realize that _something_ had happened between the blonds.

"Collin?" Grell ventured.

The younger reaper breezed right past him without a word, headed straight for Ronald. To everyone's astonishment, Collin shoved Ronald roughly up against a pillar and gave him a bruising kiss on the lips! Reapers standing near the pair swore that Collin hissed something that sounded like "Bastard!" before striding away with an expression of contempt on his face. Grell knew he had to stop his mentee before he did something stupid or irreparably damaging. A few seconds later, the redhead heard barely-restrained sobbing coming from the men's washroom. Ronald heard too, his ire rising.

_How __**dare**__ he play the victim?!_ he thought angrily. _And he even has the audacity to try to drag everyone else into it!_

Grell walked up to the door and knocked gently.

"Yes?" came the quavery response.

"It's just me, Grell," he assured Collin. "May I come in?"

"Okay," Collin replied, barely above a whisper.

Grell entered to find the younger shinigami blotting at his eyes with a balled-up bit of toilet paper.

"There now, let's not get those pretty gray eyes of yours all red!" the older reaper said in an attempt to be soothing.

Collin forced a faint smile and Grell gently hugged him and patted his back.

"What's going on, you poor thing?" asked Grell.

"We..we…spent the night together, and this morning he flipped out on me and basically said it was a mistake and he regretted it!" the blond managed before dissolving into tears again.

"Shh," Grell hushed, rocking Collin slowly.

"It seemed like he enjoyed himself, so what happened?"

"He could be frightened," Grell suggested. "You've probably made him question his orientation and he's not sure what to make of his feelings."

"He…he has feelings for me?" Collin asked hopefully.

"Now, now, I wouldn't jump to conclusions," Grell chuckled. "It's a possibility, though. The Ronnie I know doesn't just jump into bed casually. He may play the field a bit when it comes to dating, but being intimate? He has to care at least _somewhat_ for that."

"Oh, thank you _so_ much, Grell-_sempai_!" gushed Collin, surprising even himself by giving his senior a peck on the cheek in his excitement.

"Easy, Collin! I should hope that you don't go about kissing _everyone_!"

"Oh no, _sempai_!" Collin assured him. "I'm…more discreet than that."

_So now he's kissing __**Grell**__?! _Ronald fumed mentally. _The little slut_!

He didn't even stop to wonder why Grell might have been allowing himself to be kissed; he was too furious. The pen he was writing with tore through the paperwork he was filling out. He cursed and threw the pen at the ground angrily. Just at that moment, Collin came out of the bathroom, followed by Grell.

"Hey!" Collin exclaimed, rubbing at his cheek where the pen had rebounded off the floor and struck it. "_Really_, Ronald? You've resorted to throwing _pens_ at me? How childish; are we in elementary school?"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head as if in disbelief at Ronald's supposed pettiness.

"I did _not _throw a pen at you, you infuriating boy! It bounced!" Ronald shouted.

"Boy, am I? That's not what you said last night," Collin retored, grinning cruelly. "I was man enough for you then."

"Shut up!" yelled Ronald, advancing on the younger reaper and grasping him by the shoulders.

Suddenly Collin's eyes went wide and he began to shake.

"No!" he cried, shoving Ronald away, terrified.

Now _everyone _was watching. Startled, Ronald stared in disbelief as Collin fell to the floor and crab-crawled away backwards, bumping into Grell, who was just as baffled. That's when Ronald noticed the unfocused look to Collin's eyes, as if he was staring right through Ronald.

"Davey!" Collin screamed, ducking behind Grell and wrapping himself around the redhead's legs.

William burst out of his office, an uncharacteristic look of concern on his usally emotionless visage.

"Sutcliff, Knox, bring Burrwood in here quickly," he directed, taking control of the office and looking back towards his office.

"Hurts so much," Collin whimpered, then slumped in a dead faint.

"Err…" Ronald managed, unsure of what to do next.

"Well, don't stand there staring, one of you two pick him up!" William snorted.

"Go on, Ronald," Grell encouraged gently. Clearly he seemed to think that this could be a bonding experience of sorts between the two younger shinigami.

Ronald obediently lifted Collin's limp body in his arms and bore him into the manager's office. Even as dead weight, it seemed as though he weighed practically nothing.

"I was afraid of this," William admitted, unfolding a cot which had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and directing Ronald to lay the longer-haired blond on it.

"What is it?" Ronald asked, worried.

In an absent-minded gesture, he found himself smoothing back Collin's hair away from his face and tucking the loose strands behind his ear. He looked so pitiful and helpless lying there unconscious like that.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Burrwood is more…damaged than I supposed," William sighed.

**Author note: I had so much fun writing the "morning after" freakout scene! What's happened to Collin, and what does Will know? **


	4. Chapter 4

"Damaged?" Grell gasped, concerned.

"Yes, and I'll thank you to keep this quiet. You see, the conversion process was extremely rough for him."

"Conversion? Then he was…"

"Yes, a former human like you, predestined to join our ranks. For whatever reason, his body and soul fought against their fate and kept trying to veer towards death instead of immortality."

"So he's having flashbacks from his mortal past," Ronald said, realization dawning.

"Exactly. Which means that the Binding is coming undone."

"Coming undone?!" Grell cried. "How?! I thought that when the conversion and Binding was finished it was permanent! Could this happen to _anyone_, this coming undone?"

"If you're worried about it happening to you, it's highly unlikely," William assured him. "Especially since you were harvested and converted by Undertaker himself. That level of expertise isn't easily reversed."

"Wow, _sempai_, _**Undertaker**_?" Ronald asked, marveling.

"Oh yes," Grell replied.

"You see, it takes quite a bit of experience to perform a successful conversion. Should a recent graduate find themselves with a shinigami-to-be, they need to contact someone in at least management level. Unfortunately, that didn't happen with Collin. The one who reaped him panicked and tried to handle it himself."

"I've heard it can be alarming to realize you have a future death god on your hands," Ronald remarked. "At the academy the instructors warned you that the only way to tell was that the human's cinematic record would 'act up' when you tried to view it, cutting out then starting back up and such."

"It's a very delicate process, like overseeing a high-risk childbirth. One ham-handed mistake and you can wind up with problems, to say the least. The soul and body need, lovingly and gently, to be guided towards their final state of immortality."

"It sounds like you speak from experience, Will," Grell said.

It was definitely odd, hearing "that old stick-in-the-mud," as Grell called William, speaking about being loving and gentle. Then again, Grell _had _suspected that something had happened; William _had_ been acting differently lately.

"Yes, actually. I ran across my first one about five years ago. It was young Mr. Plainfield, to be specific."

"Alan's tag-along?" Ronald asked.

"The same."

It was then that Grell and Ronald noticed a slight coloring of the manager's face. Grell broke into a huge grin as realization dawned on him.

"Why, Will, you dog! You've been robbing the cradle!" the red reaper teased.

"I'll thank you to keep it to yourself, Mr. Sutcliff," William said, becoming stern again.

"You harvested him and then fell for him! How romantic!"

"Enough!" William shouted. A few seconds later, he spoke again, having managed to get his annoyance under control. "Although he is old enough to decide for himself, some might still take a low view because of our age difference and the fact that I am his superior."

Just then, Thomas himself burst into the room.

"Oh, Will, is he all right? I saw Collin have that horrible fit!" he exclaimed.

"Calm down, Mr. Plainfield," William responded, with a look that was clearly meant to remind Thomas to maintain formality while at the office. "We are attempting to formulate a plan. For the immediate future, Mr. Burrwood will need regular infusions of Immortal Essence until the Council of Elders can convene."

"That's the substance in all of us that makes us what we are," Thomas nodded. "Born shinigami get it from their parents, and the converted from their harvesters."

"Exactly. It creates a bond between converted and harvester that, while not always romantic, is only surpassed in strength and intensity by a mate-bond, which is why even the temporary donor for Mr. Burrwood must be chosen carefully. He must be comfortable with the idea that Mr. Burrwood could possibly develop an unhealthy dependence on him, at least until a more permanent solution can be found."

Ronald took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then spoke.

"I'll do it," he said.

"Are you _sure_, Ronald?" Grell gasped. "After what happened this morning?"

"Yes, I only want to know one thing; why can't the reaper who originally harvested him be his donor?"

"He passed. It was the Thorns of Death."

"No!" Grell breathed.

"I should warn you, Mr. Knox, the method of transference of Immortal Essence may prove unsavory for you," William announced.

"What is it?" Ronald asked, a bit apprehensive as to what the answer might be.

"It is commonly done through a kiss. The donor visualizes the Essence as a golden ball in their core, then draws a tendril up and out of their mouth and into that of the recipient. This will need to be done at least once a day, possibly more if Mr. Burrwood should have another fit like this."

Collin stood in the Gray Place. The ground seemed like clouds, and all around him was nothing but dark, cloudy skies like one might see before a storm.

_Finally, you're here_, a mellifluous male voice said from some indefinite place above him.

"I'm dying all over again!" Collin screamed. "First the fire, now this!"

_You were confused and frightened, not to mention the clumsy job that reaper did converting you. _

"_You_ killed me! You didn't think! All you could feel was rage at my circumstances- you didn't stop to realize that I was still in the building!" Collin accused. "You bastard, you said you _loved_ me!"

A mist formed, then coalesced into the figure of a winged man with long black hair, black feathered wings, and black curled horns like a ram's sprouting from his head.

"I _did_ love you, pet," the angel said.

"You go ahead and tell yourself that, Raziel," Collin said bitterly. "And I ceased to be your 'pet' the moment I drew my last mortal breath. You forfeited me through your crazed revenge on my owner."

"I tell the truth! I literally _fell_ for you! Look at me! Cursed with darkness and trapped here for the crime of loving a human! The Divine is not forgiving, Wisp."

"Never call me that again! It was the name of a starving boy-whore who believed your lies! It's Collin to you!"

Collin reached out into the ether, summoning his death scythe. Raziel laughed uproariously.

"I'm afraid not, pet. Your little toy won't respond to a reaper in Purgatory. Poor, poor prince."

The angel moved behind Collin, catching the reaper's wrists and drawing the young shinigami up against his body, trapping him.

"From the moment I saw you in that brother, you were mine. _Mine_, Wisp."

"Not any longer!"

"That's where you're wrong. I promised you _forever_ and I meant it," Raziel snarled. "I don't like sharing my pretties, especially not a rare one like you."

"I'm a reaper now, an immortal death god and therefore your better!"

"Not so immortal now, are we? Tsk, tsk. If I could get ahold of that fool shinigami who first made you one of his kind I'd torture his soul for eternity."

"I thought angels were meant to serve the Divine," Collin spat. "Torturing souls; isn't that more of a demon thing?"

The angels shrieked, a terrible sound like pieces of metal being scraped against each other.

"Your soul is mine! I could not interrupt the Divine plan for you, but I did give you everything that helped you survive! I gave you beauty that surpassed all the other boys there, and this is how you repay me?"

"Which got me more disgusting men who wanted a taste of young meat!"

"Which earned you _favor_ with your pimp, which spared you beatings," corrected Raziel.

"Which _didn't _save Davey," Collin retorted. "I died trying to save him; he was trapped in his room by a broken lock when the fire broke out. The fire _you _started. You killed the only friend I had in that hellhole, my only comfort!"

"You lifted your tail for that shinigami, pet- how could you? I thought we had an understanding that when your life was over that precious ass would be reserved for me."

"That was before I knew I had another destiny as a reaper! You took advantage of me when I was desperate for a savior! Besides, I never had a clue that you would literally be the death of me! I'm meant to fuck my murderer? I don't think so!"

"That pitiful lover of yours will never have you. He can try, but I ultimately hold you. When I saw that you were coming Unbound, I seized the chance I lost the first time you died. You've been a very, very naughty pet, and naughty pets get punished."

To his horror, Collin saw that the angel was shifting aside the lower part of his robes.

"No!" he cried, all bravery fleeing as he realized what was coming next.

The angel's monstrous cock sprang out- it could easily have been a foot or so long and the girth was alarming too. Collin's trousers were ripped away as if they were made of paper, and Raziel brutally thrust himself inside the shinigami. The blond screamed in pain as he tore; it was far worse than even his first time had been. If he had been in his body, he was certain that he would have passed out.

"See what you make me do?!" Raziel shouted as he raped Collin, as if the whole thing was Collin's fault. "You little slut!"

Just when Collin thought he couldn't take any more, things went dark and he didn't see the angel any more.

Ronald gasped as the cot beneath Collin was soaked with blood.

"What's happening to him?!" he asked William frantically.

"Wherever his soul has gone, it's still tied strongly enough to his body that damage inflicted upon it is being inflicted on his body also," the manager replied. "Quick, Mr. Plainfield, look for a towel and a blanket, something to soak this up and warm him!"

Ronald looked to make certain that the blinds were closed as he tried to ascertain the source of the bleeding. He cringed as he removed Collin's trousers and underwear and saw what had happened. The awfully torn flesh; it was as if he'd been raped!

"Do as I told you earlier; hopefully a fresh infusion of Immortal Essence will bring him back," William instructed.

_Picture a golden ball in your core. That's it_, he encouraged himself.

He felt warmth moving up his throat into his mouth and leaned forward, using a tender kiss to transfer the Essence. Slowly, Collin began to get color to his skin and to stir a bit.

"Careful, Mr. Knox, we can't be certain what condition his mind is in after that assault," cautioned William. "He's back physically, but he could well be severely traumatized."

"Nnnnngh," groaned Collin, coming to.

His eyes widened and he whimpered, giving Ronald a pleading look as if begging for help.

"Oh, Collin!" Ronald cried, wrapping his arms around the younger reaper as Thomas placed a towel beneath Collin and wrapped a blanket around his lower half to replace the ruined garments. "Don't worry; I've got you."

Collin's eyes lost focus, and he curled into a fetal position and whined.

"You've got to stay with me, Collin," Ronald said, trying to stay calm. "You're safe now."

"Ra…Raziel…raped," Collin managed before dissolving into tears.

"Shhh, don't try to speak yet," Ronald soothed. "We've got plenty of time for you to explain. Just rest and heal."

A human would likely have died from the sheer amount of blood lost, not to mention required reconstructive surgery. Ronald knew that Collin's remarkable shinigami physiology was already at work healing his bodily wounds, but there was no telling when he would be mentally healed.

"Take him home. I don't intend this as punishment, Mr. Knox, but it would be best if the two of you were on paid leave until the Council meets. Look out for him; he needs you now more than ever," William said.

** Author note: Geez, I'm so sadistic to poor Collin! First a horrible past, then raped! Don't worry, I'll make things better, I promise!**


End file.
